For some years prior to the date hereof the art has appreciated that luminescence reactions, particularly bioluminescence and chemiluminescence reactions can be the basis for extraordinarily sensitive analytical assays or tests. Such assays can, for example, combine the specificity of an immunoassay with the detection limits for measurements of light. For instance, luminescent immunoassays are comparable in sensitivity to radioimmunoassays and offer the significant advantages of freedom from radioactive reagents.
However, as of date hereof the potential for rapid accurate assays offered by bioluminescence and chemiluminescence reactions has not been achieved. To some extent, perhaps to a great extent, the analytical luminometer instruments offered to the art heretofore are ill-suited to rapid processing of numerous samples in luminescence reactions assays. Certainly, they have not met with widespread acceptance. This invention relates to an improved luminometer instrument for conduct of luminescence, (i.e., bioluminescence or chemiluminescence) assays.